Greater Roadrunner

A ground-dwelling cuckoo that outruns rattlesnakes/Small Animals

The greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is a ground-dwelling cuckoo native to the deserts and scrublands of the southwestern United States and Mexico. About 56 cm long from beak to tail tip, it prefers running to flying and can sprint at speeds up to 12 m/s. It hunts rattlesnakes, lizards, scorpions, and small birds on foot. The roadrunner has a unique adaptation for desert cold: it can lower its body temperature at night and then sunbathe in the morning, exposing dark skin patches on its back to absorb heat.